Hidden Gems and Lowkey Spots to Visit in Tokyo

Tokyo is not only one of the largest cities on the planet but also one of the most entertaining, so the list of things to do in Tokyo are seemingly endless! A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to visit Tokyo for the first time and it instantly became my favorite city in the world. The food, city, sites, and day-trips are all unmatched and in opposition to what I heard prior to visiting I found the locals to be incredibly friendly and helpful. This year, I had the opportunity to visit Japan for a second time, with plans to visit Osaka for the 2025 World Expo. I knew I couldn’t miss Tokyo on my second visit though, so I made a lengthy stop in Tokyo for a second time to try and catch some experiences that I didn’t get a chance to the first time around! This blog post is dedicated to experiences and spots that stood out on my second visit that get slightly less attention than the biggest tourist spots in the city. Keep reading to discover my hidden gems and lowkey sports in Tokyo to visit!

Togoshi Ginza Shopping Street

Tokyo has a huge number of shopping streets, which are long streets that are exclusively lined with stores and restaurants, and are generally closed to traffic. Each shopping street has a different vibe, with some being more targeted towards tourists, like Takeshita Street, and others being more local.

Togoshi Ginza shopping street was one of the more local shopping streets, in fact I hardly saw any tourists here at all. It is 1.3km in length and has around 400 shops, which may not sound very long but when you are walking down shopping streets it typically takes quite some time to get through due to the allure of food and artisan shops. It is also uncovered, so keep that in mind if you intend on walking there during rainy weather or blistering heat.

I had the opportunity to try some snacks and buy some souvenirs here and everything was very affordable and tasty. One of the treats I tried was a crepe from a shop called NagiCrepe and it was really good! I also left something at the shop by accident and a man ran after me to return it which was very sweet. There is also lots of supermarkets and grocery stores that have much more affordable prices than central Tokyo, so if you are craving some snack or fruits this is a great place to find what you need!

In general, if you want to get the vibe of a local shopping street that is still quite large, I think that Togoshi Ginza Shopping Street is the perfect place to checkout. That being said, a lot of the shops were closed and it seemed like there was some redevelopment going on but that is just the nature of not being in the most prime location in the city, so go support these old local shops and you will be greeted with friendliness and amazing hidden surprises!

Nezu Shrine

Shrines are another can’t miss experience when you visit Tokyo. For those unfamiliar, shrines are a place of worship for the practitioners of Shintoism, the largest religion in Japan. When you visit a shrine there are instructions for how to participate in the worship which is beautiful to learn about. A great first shrine to visit is the Meiji-jingu Shrine, which is incredibly grand and has a lot of information on Japanese shrines, and you can also find guided tours of the area.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a less busy and more tranquil experience, I highly recommend Nezu Shrine. This shrine may lack the grandeur of the Meiji-jingu Shrine but it makes up for it with the incredible atmosphere. Walk through the torii and experience the beauty and tranquility of this local shrine, which dates back over 1900 years according to legend, making it one of Japan’s oldest shrines! The architecture is also quite old, being constructed in 1705 and surviving to the present day through natural disasters and the fire bombings of World War II.

While not exactly a hidden gem, the overcrowding at this shrine is dramatically lower than others and it offers an incredible experience that I couldn’t recommend more! It is also conveniently located close to Yanaka Ginza and the University of Tokyo, so it is in an easy to reach location.

Hotel New Otani Japanese Garden

Something I didn’t expect when visiting Tokyo for the first time was just how many greenspaces there are. Beautiful parks and gardens are scattered throughout the city, with some even being located on the top of buildings! Trees also line many streets and I think one of the biggest things that surprised me when visiting Tokyo is how effectively the city is combined with nature. Visiting a park in Tokyo is a lovely experience but most of the parks are quite large with massive greenspaces, so it can be a bit time consuming if you are visiting for the first time and not staying for very long. A nature alternative to the massive parks that provides a serene experience and slice of Japanese culture is the Hotel New Otani Japanese Garden! This garden is located in an elevated courtyard within a hotel and is free to enter for the public, but be warned, it can be a bit difficult to navigate through the hotel and find it. Once you find it though, you are rewarded with a stunning traditional Japanese garden with a 400-year-old history. The hotel was actually only build recently, for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, with the garden being changed and renovated but maintaining the beauty and ambiance of its early years, according to the Hotel New Otani website.

Despite being a large, immaculately developed, traditional Japanese garden with a waterfall nestled between a luxury hotel… the garden had virtually no tourists! I was very shocked because this is a really beautiful spot, so if you want to experience a unique mix of traditional Japanese culture and modern Japanese development in a beautiful setting, I highly recommend the Hotel New Otani Japanese Garden!

Basement Bar and Three in Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa is arguably my favorite community in Tokyo. This community is famous for its thrift shopping, where you can find both affordable luxury goods and stores where every piece of clothing is 700 yen (seriously, I got three pairs of Levi’s and Wrangler jeans for ~$20). After spending all day shopping and perusing through the gorgeous streets until all the shops clothes one may think that it is time to head back to Shibuya or Shinjuku for the nightlife scene but that would be a terrible mistake! As it turns out, Shimokitazawa is also famous for its live music, with many bars/clubs showcasing some really spectacular local acts.

This time around I was determined to see some of this live music so I headed to Basement Bar / Three on a foreigner discounted night (1500-yen entry at the door) and got to see three local bands which were all amazing! Seriously, the music was spectacular, the venue was small and intimate, and the people were so nice! I got to speak with some fellow tourists in the crowd but after the first band finished their set, they just came into the crowd to watch the rest of the performances and chatted with people which was so cool! I ended up speaking with members from two of the bands and they were all so kind and humble. This was a really special experience and probably my favorite experience from Tokyo this time around, so even if you do not speak Japanese or don’t listen to Japanese music, I highly recommend seeking out a concert like this in Shimokitazawa (or Koenji) because the experience is incredible!

These spots and experiences were undoubtedly my favorites but I also had the opportunity to visit the University of Tokyo, Odaiba, Sengakuji Temple, and the Ginza Aquarium Art Museum, all of which were very enjoyable experiences and worth checking out depending on your interests. I also got to experience the Kanda Matsuri festival which was absolutely incredible, if you happen to be visiting Japan in the spring there are so many festivals during this time! I also intended on going to the Curry Festival in Yokosuka but sadly it got cancelled due to poor weather.

Hidden Gems and Lowkey Spots to Visit in Tokyo

Overall, after my second visit to Tokyo, and after visiting a number of new cities in Asia, I can confidently say that Tokyo is still my favorite city in the world. I have done so many things in this city and there are still so many more things for me to do, places to see, and foods to eat next time I go! I cannot wait for my next trip to Tokyo and if you are planning a trip to Tokyo I hope this gave you inspiration for some slightly less crowded activities to do during your stay! If you enjoyed this post explore my other social media platforms and subscribe to my mailing list for some more personal insight into my foodie adventures!